Parker Olson is an accomplished percussionist with a diverse background in orchestral and chamber performance. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he honed his skills studying with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, he served as the tenured Principal Percussionist of the Billings Symphony Orchestra during their 2023–24 season. He is an extra percussionist with the Atlanta, Alabama, Toronto, and New World symphonies, and has performed with the Boston Philharmonic. He has had the privilege of working with distinguished conductors such as Hugh Wolff, Robert Spano, and Gustavo Gimeno.

In addition to his orchestral work, Parker is a dedicated performer of contemporary music. He has a notable history of premiering new works, including Robbie Bui’s Tiers of Consciousness and the U.S. premieres of Salvatore Sciarrino’s Stupori and Kati Agócs’s FOMO for Solo Percussion. His chamber repertoire includes works by Steve Reich, Unsuk Chin, and Béla Bartók.

He is a proud alumnus of the New England Conservatory, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees, and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory. As an educator, he teaches at McIntosh High School, East Coweta High School, and at Woodward Academy in Atlanta. He also maintains a private studio and previously served as a percussion coach at the NEC Preparatory School and the Oscar Peterson School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.